Safe Adventures

A sector review and principles for student group safety in adventure activities

Student-led groups are the heartbeat of the university experience. Whether it’s scaling a rock face, practising a favourite team sport or discovering a new hobby, these activities give students the chance to build skills, find community and support their wellbeing.

Through the programme, a steering group made up of students’ unions, NUS Charity and Howden has worked collaboratively to explore the current landscape of safety in student-led adventure activities. Together, the group has undertaken research to better understand how these activities are supported, where challenges exist, and how organisations can strengthen practice across the sector.

This work recognises that student activities are often delivered by passionate volunteers and supported by students’ unions and university sports departments. It also highlights that, as these activities grow and evolve, there are opportunities to strengthen the culture, understanding and support structures that help keep students safe.

The result of this collaboration is the Safe Adventures Report, which sets out six principles to help organisations reflect on and evaluate the activities their student groups offer.

These principles are designed to support organisations to improve practice while protecting what makes student activity so valuable: student leadership, exploration and community.

This work represents the start of a collective journey. By sharing these principles and the learning from this research, we hope to support students’ unions, universities, governing bodies and others across the sector to work together to strengthen safety in student-led activity.

The report is just a starting point.

The Safe Adventures Report marks the beginning of an ongoing effort across the sector to share learning and support continuous improvement in the way student adventure activities are delivered.

Organisations across higher education, sport and the outdoor sector are encouraged to engage with the principles and consider how they can be applied in their own contexts.

Organised Fun will be continuing to share learning, offer guidance, and support students’ unions and universities to understand and implement the student group safety principles.

Take a look at the ways we can support you to understand and implement the principles in your organisation. 

Upcoming Webinars

Join an upcoming Safe Adventures Webinar where we’ll:

• share the story behind the project, 

• explore the key findings from the report, 

• and take a closer look at the six Student Group Safety Principles.